August is historically the month with the highest number of births and this past year was no different, according to the CDC. So now is a good time to share a letter I received recently from a young couple doing the hard work of finding out what exactly is in their cleaning and cleansing products. For anyone caring for a newborn or infant, please read on:

Dear Leslie,

We are expecting our first baby in January 🙂 and we are strongly dedicated to make our home a safe environment for our child. So, we’re researching and looking for safe, effective green cleaning products.

We’ve read many articles about green cleaning and human friendly detergents including an article from radiomd.com, called Edible Kitchen, where you shared your vision about making DIY green cleaning products. We decided to give it a try and we made a few mixtures using white vinegar, baking soda, lemon and salt and we must say that we are very thrilled with the results. Before that we were buying some so called “green” products, which actually turned out to be not very green or human friendly when we researched their ingredients. After reading your article and visiting your website, we decided that we will not buy branded products anymore and will create our own products from cleaning ingredients that are edible – for us this is the only way we can really trust that they are safe.

Because you helped us with our DIY green cleaning needs we would be grateful if you can help us with some advice about our baby’s hygiene needs. Our research led us to some disturbing facts about chemicals and how dangerous they are for babies. We found that almost every baby wash product onthe market is full of chemicals which “deliver” the cleaning effect, while also delivering great hazards to the baby’s health. Could you please give us some hints of such ingredients like the four you shared for house cleaning, but to be suitable for baby skin as well?

My reply:

Dear Expecting:

Congratulations on your new addition and get ready for a really fun ride. Having a new baby in the family brings great joy and also some new conundrums.

I’m very happy that you are spending the time and energy to research all the things that can affect you and your baby. Although it takes some work, the information you are gathering could make a big difference in your baby’s development and overall health. Try out this DIY green cleaning product for washing baby, made with natural ingredients from your pantry:

Lemon juice is a natural acid which will help to remove oils from the skin. Olive oil contains Vitamin E and helps to restore natural balance in the skin. Organic honey has antibacterial properties and helps to lock moisture into the skin. Apple cider vinegar helps remove toxins from the skin and restore natural pH.

Be careful to avoid getting this wash into your baby’s eyes and dilute it if it irritates the skin or eyes. Every baby has different sensitivities and you will learn your baby’s over time.

If you want more of a ‘soapy” feel, add a few drops of organic castile soap to the mixture. Castile soap is made from olive oil but does contain potassium and sodium hydroxide which (per the website https://www.drbronner.com/customer-service/ingredients/) is consumed in the chemical reaction that creates the soap and does not remain in the final product. Use sparingly (DROPS) in the recipe only if you want the sudsy, bubble effect.

Good luck with your pregnancy and thanks for asking these important questions. I know many readers will also appreciate having this information.

Meet ... Leslie Reichert

Leslie Reichert is a cleaning expert that uses her sparkling personality, great sense of humor and contagious passion to encourage people to think differently about what they are using in their homes. Leslie is known as the Green Cleaning Coach and she is changing the world - "one spray bottle at a time". She is a national lecturer, a frequent home keeping expert on The Dr. Oz Show, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Maid Brigade’s DIY Cleaning Expert and author of the book: The Joy Of Green Cleaning - a handbook for DIY cleaners. She works with Better Homes and Gardens, Real Simple, Today.com and other national publications.